Sparklepinksunflower

What to do with a bucket of snails!!

Vinegar - brilliant idea,shall use that next year and the bonus of no smell as snails after a couple of days in a bucket honk to high heaven  

Sedum Collapse

I am not sure anyone got to do a chelsea chop on anything this year, I chopped a few things back but it was weeks and weeks after the show as the weather was so bad

Snails - the French have the right idea

I have to say something definitely munch a load of foxgloves this year. If its not snails then what was it? 

I dont think they like furry leaves, so sage and lichinis seem to get off ok.

Beaded Irises I think the leaves are too tough but they do love hiding in among them , so they wont eat them but they my well breed in them 

Gardeners' Question Time

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/gqt

Here's the link for the pod cast

Gardeners' Question Time

I love garden's question time and have listened to it since i was small as my mum had radio 4 on constantly

I love having the radio on, on a sunday when I am down the allotment But I am subscribed to the podcast as well and  if i have missed it (which is more likely then not) will listen during the week when  I am sat working looking out my window wishing I was gardening rather then sorting out my VAT return  

Tomato probs

Think of the chimney pot as a large bottomless flower pot, filled with compost and placed on top of the soil, eventually the roots will grow through the compost into the soil beneath.

my toms in the chimney pots are taller then I am now, really good strong plants. I have now cut off the tops and all the flowers and even picked off some of the tiny toms, desperatly hoping that the trusses left on will ripen. The yeild had been well down this year as it was so cold for so long

I am still waiting for the blight to strick and feel it will be a when rather then if, (the allotment 1 mile away was devistated this year) but so far so good.

The toms just in normal pots are not nearly s healthy and might have the first signs of blight.

Tomato probs

I have found with my outdoor tomatoes that they have been much better for the last couple of years when i started using chimney pots filled with compost placed on top of the soil. So the roots can still get into the soil, but they are elevated awy from the soil.

runner beans

• 2 lb runner beans
• 4 or 5 onions
• 1 ½ lb demerara sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons turmeric powder
• 1 ½ tablespoons English mustard powder
• 1 ½ tablespoons cornflour
• 1 ½ pints malt vinegar

1. Peel onions and cut small.
2. Slice beans and boil together with onions in salted water until both are tender.
3. Strain and drain well
4. Add sugar and 1¼ pints vinegar and boil for 15 minutes.
5. Mix turmeric, mustard and cornflour with the remaining vinegar add to the bean and onions.
6. Boil for another 15 minutes.
7. Allow to cool and put in jars.

New plot

If its grass, I sprayed mine, then roughly dug it over to get rid of the couch grass etc, then rotivated it. Then on half dug in loads of manure and compost (The pumkins are very happy so far). On the other half I just piled the compost and manure on it and have had it covered with a tarpulin and left it as life has been very very busy this year and i am hoping the the worms will of done a good job. Shall stick more manure on it soon and leave over winter.

Happy digging

runner beans

Runner bean chutney is yum!! Made some last year as had a real glut and was amazed how yummy and easy to make it was  

Crocosmia has croaked it!

Writing a Name on a pumpkin

What to do with a bucket of snails!!

Carrots have feelings too

Hollyhock Rust

Why don't Sunflower Seeds Compost!!!

When Best to liquid feed in the rain!!!

My Calla actually can!!!

Moldy Compost Disaster :(